There have been a variety of prior bowling game apparatus. Typically a plurality of upright standing pieces are arranged in a supporting surface and a projectile is rolled or thrown to try to knock over the pieces. Various strikers have been used in such games.
To Applicant's knowledge, none of the prior art striker devices provide the same or a similar combination of elements, nor the resulting action and play value as provided by Applicant's bowling game apparatus. In particular, Applicant's illustrated shark striker is spring-wound by the child-user pulling it downwardly along a support surface. The child can then hold the striker in a stationary fixed position from where he or she can aim it toward the fish playpieces. The child then releases the striker which thereby causes it to move forwardly toward the playpieces. The illustrated striker mechanism includes an initial high-torque low-speed mode followed by a lower-torque high-speed mode. This allows the striker to get going from the stationary position and then have enough speed when it engages the playpieces to readily knock them over. Further, the illustrated striker has a pivoted tail section which oscillates back and forth as the striker moves forwardly. Thus, not only are playpieces struck and knocked over by the front end (jaws) of the striker, but by the oscillating tail as the striker moves past the playpieces. If a particular striker has a tendency to veer one way or the other, particularly as a result of the side-to-side tail action, an adjustment means may be provided on the striker for counter-acting that tendency to veer to one side.
This combination of oscillating tail action and multiple speed forward movement provides a highly entertaining and high-play value toy, particularly for younger children. Further, the young child is allowed to aim the strike while it is in a stationary position rather than having to throw and aim it at the same time or otherwise direct it using a launching mechanism or other more complicated or more sophisticated means. Directly holding the striker rather than operating a lever or other intermediate mechanism also more closely stimulates the feel and sense of a "bowling" game. The oscillating tail is an important added feature allowing the striker to knock over playpieces virtually after the shark has "passed by" the fish.